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jensstevens's avatar
jensstevens
Copper Contributor
Oct 29, 2025

Demoting DC Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2019 with Domain controller forest version 2016. When demoting our Domain controller XYDC01 in Site XY, it is the only DC and DNS in the site, but all other 20 sites have a DC with DN...
Active Directory
windows server
hasanemresatilmis's avatar
hasanemresatilmis
MCT
Oct 30, 2025

Active Directory stores the DNS servers hosting a zone in the msDNS-ServerName attribute of the dnsZone object. If XYDC01 is the last registered server for this zone, you’ll receive a warning during demotion. Even if the zone physically exists on other DCs, you’ll encounter this error if it’s not reflected in the metadata.

 

To check which servers are hosting the zone on XYDC01, run:

Get-DnsServerZone -Name "enterpriseregistration.jens.be" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty ZoneType

 

Alternatively, use ADSI Edit and navigate to:

CN=MicrosoftDNS,DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=jens,DC=be

If the msDNS-ServerName attribute of the enterpriseregistration.jens.be object only lists XYDC01, it means the other DCs are not visible in the metadata.

 

Make the zone visible on other DCs

On a DC other than XYDC01, remove and re-add the zone to refresh the metadata:

Remove-DnsServerZone -Name "enterpriseregistration.jens.be"

Add-DnsServerPrimaryZone -Name "enterpriseregistration.jens.be" -ReplicationScope Forest

This does not recreate the zone. It simply updates the metadata, since the zone is Active Directory-integrated.

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